Canadian veteran was offered EUTHANASIA when he called Veteran Affairs Canada hotline for help

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Canadian veteran suffering from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury was offered EUTHANASIA when he called Veteran Affairs Canada hotline for help – as Canadian Government orders ‘full and thorough’ investigation into the case

  • Canada’s federal government have now ordered an investigation into the circumstances
  • The veteran claims  that he was seeking advice for how to treat his PTSD and other physical issued
  • A staff member at the Veterans Affairs Canada reportedly encouraged him to think about medical assistance in dying
  • His family are reportedly ‘disgusted’ by the exchange, which left the veteran ‘deeply disturbed’ 

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Canada’s federal government has ordered a ‘full and thorough’ investigation after a Veterans Affairs Canada employee encouraged a veteran to undergo assisted suicide when he called for help.

The Canadian Forces veteran was seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury when he was casually offered medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in July.

A VAC employee reportedly brought up MAiD unprompted in the conversation with the veteran, who was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the suggestion.

Sources close to the military man told Global News Canada that he and his family were ‘disgusted’ by the conversation and felt ‘betrayed’ by the agency.

He had reportedly been seeking to recover from injuries that he suffered in the line of duty, and the unprompted MAiD offer has been harmful to his progress.

A Canadian Forces veteran who was asking for help with his PTSD and other medial issued was 'deeply disturbed' when he was offered medically assistance in dying by a Veterans Affairs Canada worker (Stock image)

A Canadian Forces veteran who was asking for help with his PTSD and other medial issued was ‘deeply disturbed’ when he was offered medically assistance in dying by a Veterans Affairs Canada worker (Stock image)

Canada's federal government has now ordered a 'full and thorough' investigation into the case after it caused uproar. (Stock image)

Canada's federal government has now ordered a 'full and thorough' investigation into the case after it caused uproar. (Stock image)

Canada’s federal government has now ordered a ‘full and thorough’ investigation into the case after it caused uproar. (Stock image)

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay has now directed his Deputy Minister to ‘undertake a full and thorough investigation into this matter.’

A spokesperson confirmed that all frontline staff at the VAC are to be given ‘formal training, direction and advice’ on how to approach the issues surrounding MAiD.

The veteran, who has not been identified, claims the service agent they spoke to brought up the option repeatedly even after he asked them to stop.

He also said that the service agent told him in the call about having helped another veteran access MAiD through VAC including supporting that person’s children.

The service agent reportedly said ‘ better than blowing his brains out all over the wall or driving his car into something’, when discussing the separate case.

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay has now directed his Deputy Minister to ‘undertake a full and thorough investigation into this matter'

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay has now directed his Deputy Minister to ‘undertake a full and thorough investigation into this matter'

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay has now directed his Deputy Minister to ‘undertake a full and thorough investigation into this matter’

The VAC say they do not record phone conversations in order to protect privacy, and they had not been able to corroborate the allegations made by the veteran.

He says that his concerns were only addressed after he filed multiple complains about the service agent since July.

A spokesperson for Veterans Affairs Canada said: ‘When the Veteran client called VAC to share what happened on the call, we immediately took action to address the situation and apologized to the client.

A spokesperson confirmed that all frontline staff at the VAC are to be given ‘formal training, direction and advice’ on how to approach the issues surrounding MAiD

A spokesperson confirmed that all frontline staff at the VAC are to be given ‘formal training, direction and advice’ on how to approach the issues surrounding MAiD

A spokesperson confirmed that all frontline staff at the VAC are to be given ‘formal training, direction and advice’ on how to approach the issues surrounding MAiD

‘As directed by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Deputy Minister will oversee a thorough internal investigation into this matter and take any appropriate administrative actions necessary to ensure this situation doesn’t happen again.

‘In addition, all VAC frontline staff will be provided training as a reminder of the expectations and the available programs and services offered by the Department to support the health and well-being of Veterans.’

Under Canadian law, MAiD can only be discussed between a primary care provider like a physician or psychiatrist and their patient.

Debbie Lowther, executive director of VETS Canada, a charity that helps veterans in crisis added that the option could have ‘very very damaging consequences.’

Eligible adults in Canada are able to request MAiD so long as they have a ‘grievous and irremediable medical condition’ 

Under Canadian law, MAiD can only be discussed between a primary care provider like a physician or psychiatrist and their patient.

· A person may receive medical assistance in dying only if they meet all of the following criteria:

· They are eligible — or, but for any applicable minimum period of residence or waiting period, would be eligible — for health services funded by a government in Canada;

· They are at least 18 years of age and capable of making decisions with respect to their health;

· They have a grievous and irremediable medical condition;

· They have made a voluntary request for medical assistance in dying that, in particular, was not made as a result of external pressure; and

· They give informed consent to receive medical assistance in dying after having been informed of the means that are available to relieve their suffering, including palliative care.

A person has a grievous and irremediable medical condition only if they meet all of the following criteria:

They have a serious and incurable illness, disease or disability; (a mental illness does not fall under this category)

· They are in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability; and

· That illness, disease or disability or that state of decline causes them enduring physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable to them and that cannot be relieved under conditions that they consider acceptable.

Source: Government of Canada